Folding crate or box.



A. VON SGHLUEMBAGH.

FOLDING CRATE 0R B0X.

APPLICATIUN FILED JULYB, 1912. l 9 l l l A@/m Patented Sept. 22, 1914 4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

.mLm,1912.

Patented Sept. 2.2, 1914.

s SHEETS-SHEET 2,

'1J *ma amusante? A. VON SCHLUEMBACH.

FOLDING CRATE 0R BOX.

APPLICATON FILED i. 17 I Y n I Q a l j lf2 @VH1/s moe@ via/2 awady www@ @www A. VON SGHLUBMBAGH.

FOLDING CRATE 0R BOX.

4 AP?LICATION FILED JULYS, l912 1,1 11,40% Patented Sept. 22, i914.,

4 'SHEETS-SHEET s.

Patented Sept.

4 SHEET Ma/b .wm/M 7 A. VON SUHLUEMBACH.

FOLDING CRATE OR BOX.

.-aPPLxoATIoN FILED JULYS, 1912.

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DOLPH VGN SCELUEMBACH, OF ALTOQNA, PENNSYLVANIA.

FOLDING CRATE R BOX.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 22. ligas.;

Application led July S, 1912. Serial 1 o. 708,117.

To all whom it may concern:

it known that l, ADoLrH VON SCHLUEM- sacri, a citizen of the limited States, residing at Altoona, county of Blair, and State of lennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Folding Crates or` Boxes, of which the tollowingis a specification.

My invention relates to folding boxes or crates.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a box or crate which, when not in use, may be folded to occupy a minimum amount of space and which shall be of simple construction and of low cost to manufacture.

A further object of my invention is to provide a folding box or crate provided with partitions for dividing the same into upper Iand lower compartments, which partitions shall be adapted to fold as the box is collapsed cir/folded.

A farther object of my invention is to provide a folding box or crate as mentioned in which the sides, whenin open or distended position shall be 'liusli'with the edges of the top and bottom portions.

A further object of my invention is to provide a. folding box orcrate which shall be strong and. durable, of great rigidity when in open position. and of comparatively light weight.

@ther objects will appear hereinafter.

vWith these objects in view my invention consists generally in a box or crate comprising top and bottom frames, foldable sides connected at their upper and lower edges to said fran respectively, and end members hingedly connected to one of said trames and adapted to hold the sides in open position.

My invention further consists in a box or crate as mentioned together with partition members liingedly connected to said ends and adapted to divide the case, crate` or box into upper and lower compartments.

My invention Yfurther consists in a device as mentioned iu which the sides are so connected to the upper and lower frames as to lie in a plane or iiush with the edges of said .frame when the box or crate is in open position.

My invention further consistsin a case., box or crate comprising top and bottom members, foldable sides having their edges hingedly connected to said members respectively and interlocking devices on the to and bottom members and said sides adapte' to cooperate when the device is in open or distended position to increase the rigidity of the same.

My invention further consists in various details of construction and arrangements 0fparts all as will be fully described hereinafter and particularly pointed out in the claims.

My invention ivill be more readily understood by reference to the .accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in vvliicli- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a. case, box or crate embodying my invention in its preferred form'andiillustrating the same( in distended position, Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the same in folded position With the lid or'cover raised, Fig is a vertical longitudinal section of the box or crate in distended position. Fig. 4 is a similar view of the samein folded position, Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse section on substantially the line .2i-:c of Fig. 3, the device being illustrated in partially folded position in dotted lines, Fig. (5 is a vertical transverse section on the line y-g of Fig. 4, Fig. 7 is a horizontalsection on the line z-z ofv Fig. d, Fig. 8 is a detail side elevation of one of the joints of the device, illustrating the interlocking devices, Fig. 9 is a view of the same at right angles to that of Fig. 8, Fig. 10 is a detail elevation of a 'modified form of joint, Figs. ll and l2, are details of a further modified forni of joint, and Fig. 13 is a detailed sectional view ot' a further modification.

My invention as hereinafter described., may be employed in making boxes, crates, show-cases, trunks and various other receptacles. but in the drawings I have illustrated thc saine as applied to folding boxes and crates. other uses oi' the' invention being clear .from the drawings and descripn tion to anyone skilled in the arts. lrrespective of the application of the invention, the general structure will be the same, the device in any event comprising upper and lower members, foldable sides Connecting .said members and hinged ends adapted to hold the device in extended position.

Referring now to the drawings 1 indicates the upper or top member, and 2 the lower or bottom member. yThese are connected as will be hereinafter' described, by foldable of the lower or bottom member 2.

sides 3, and hinged ends 4t are provided to complete the body of the structure and hold the same in distended position. The top and bottom members preferably comprise frames formed of a pair of longitudinal 1nembers 5- -5, a pair of transverse members 6 6 rigidly connected at the corners as by angle irons or braces 7, and panels 3 and 9 respectively. The panel 3 is hingedly con.- nected as at 10 to the top frame and constitutes a lid or closure for the device, a turn button 11 or other suitable device being provided to fasten the same in closed position. The panel 9 is preferably rigidly secured to its respective frame and constitutes the bottom of the box or case.

The sides 3 lare formed of two similar, upper and lower sections 12 and 13, hingedly connected at their abutting edges as at 11 so as to fold inwardly at the center, and hingedly connected as at l5 tothe upper and lower members 1 and Q respectively. The side sections, 12 and 13, are preferably formed of frames consisting of' longitudif nal members 16 and vertical members 17,

and panels 18, the latter of which may be of any desired material, such as wood, netting or glass, according to the use to which the device is to be put. The end members 4 may be either solid, or framed and paneled as desired, no claim being made to the specific construction of this portion of the device, and they are hingcdly connected as at 19 to the transverse or end members 6 The hinges'19 are arranged on the inner face of the member G and adjacent the lower portion thereof so that the ends lshall fold down close to the bottom 9. If the box or crate is comparatively deep the ends d will overlap when the device is collapsed, and in order that the ends shalllie at when in folded position, I prefer to arrange the hinges 19 of one end slightly above or at a slightly greater distance from the bottom than those of the other end. rlhis construction will be clear by reference to Fig. 4. The sides 3 are hingedly connected to the members 5 so that when the device is ex panded the edges of the sides will abut the edges of said members with the outer faces of the sides flush with the outeredges of the top and bottom members. When the sides are unfolded or extended, and the ends raised into` operative position, the edges of said ends engage the inner faces of the sides adjacent the ends and hold said sides in position.

To give greater' rigidity lto the structure the abutting edges of the side sections, and the upper and lower edges of the sides and the adjacent edges of the members 5 are provided with interlocking members. In Figs.

8 to 13 inclusive I have illustrated various,

forms of this portion of the device. In

Luino?" Figs. S, 9, 10 and 13 the adjacent edges are spectively, and in Figs. 11 and y12 they are provided with tongues 2Q and grooves 23 respectively. The interlocking members lmay be formed directly upon the frame members of the sides or may be formed upon metal plates 2d and secured to the sides as illustrated in Fig. 13. To give further rigidity to the device the members 5 of the bottom portion are recessed as at 25 and the vertical members 17 of the adjacent side section are extended downwardly as at :2G to fit therein. The side sections may be connected to the upper and lower members and to each other by any suitable hinge means, such as strap hinges as illustrated in Figs. 1, 3, 11, 5 and G, or by knuckle joints.

2T as illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9. If preferred the vertical members 17 of the yside sect-ions may be connected by means of a pair of links 9,8, pivotally connected to both members as illustrated in Fig. 10.

Hingedly connected to the ends i as at Q9l are members 30 which together form a horizontal partition dividing the device into upper and lower compartments. These are'each a, little longer than half the length of the box or crate and their inner ends overlap when the device is expanded and are supported' by ears or brackets 31 secured to the inner faces of the sides 3 adjacent the center. Inasmuch as the ends 4 fold downwardly into the bottom member of thc crate it is necessary to provide means whereby l.)

the partition members 30 may pass the brackets 31. Tothis end said members are provided at their edges with notches or recesses 32 which are arranged toward the ends et to which the respective partition i. 1'

members are connected. By this construction, as the ends are folded inwardly and downwardly, the partition members 30 will. slide along the brackets 31 until the recesses 32 approach or reach said brackets when the 1- i.'

partitions will readily pass the brackets and fold into the bottom of the device with the 'provided with pins 2O and sockets Q1 re- Y ends. If the ends are of suilicient length to engage the brackets 31 when folding inwardly, which is determined by the relative height of the device, said ends may be recessed or notched as at 33 to permit the same to pass the brackets.

In constructing the device I prefer that the members 5 and 6 of the bottom portion f shall be of equal height, forming with the bottom 9 a shallow receptacle into which the ends and partitions shall fold. The

members 5 of the upper or top portion are of less depth than the end members 5 thereof so that the sides 3 may fold into the upper or top portion as shown clearly in Figs. 4 and 6. Suitable fastening devices 34C are provided for securing the device in folded or collapsed position and-handles 35 may having pivem ennectons with one esni nxenlbees, partwn members hemng pwoel #Le seid end pes, an means ion supponel and piense are swnn nemend y.

Schermi, the nnee ends @if seid pertiasmf. new

connections with said end pieces, and means fer supporting tneinner ends eff seid peritition members.

3. in e device of ehe eine: desefbed, top end heiem members, odable sides Connected 'in sind wp and bottom respecteely, en pieces hngedly cnnecler to sa here nom pnretien membess hngedy conneee ing the inner ends of seid petion memhere, ihe edges ef sind' members being ne eessed to pass sind snnpermn menne send e, En s device of e csssdeseribed, upper im@ lewe? membes, .odebe sides havin nmn eonnectiens with said members, en pieces disposed between said odnble sides and hinged connections wh the ower member, @estimen members ningedly com nested i0 said end pieees nermeiste ene iz'mn members overkapping and bxnckeas need ne seid edeble sndes for supposing said evenapping en.

. in e devies of the dass described', upper wnneeeed en saisi members and vetenl and heme eennenzs en ggenels neween seld eemens, me eenmaal mense eleme es @neendng heyenthe @sus "Fersey elements Jane mwen ege and the adgeeen; pere o sind lawes mem n recessed ia leeeve seid ends, seid ends being eejbed; es move inte and ent of snid es ne bsx' is engenfed nn 'odedi respew aiseiy, and end pleees @ranged beween sides and hingedly eenneeted es one m? said' Aand lower'membei's nl'eeble sides nini-Fmi coxn'zveete se seid membens end eompnsfmg .veriea snd'femnsveree henne eements panes arranged between sei demente, the vert-:lem frame eenlenes extending eeyen-f elle owex' tmnsverse frame element nne @ne mijn cenportion of the said on'e memb-s bef-ng recessed io receive said ens, ss ends being adapted to mme mt@ and one of seed remmen :as the box 1s expande@ and ede wenn@ 'iii'.ey? intel-locking devices @n seid projecizm ing ends and said lower member sznpte it@ opeativey engage when the device ne pnnded, similar interlocking evces on the upper edge of said sdes and nppetf member, and end pieces arsnge between said members and hingedly conneeed one of the rst nienioned membes, subsfsnt-uly as described.

in testimony whereof ibase signed my name to this speciicaton he pi'ence ef hm subserbing witnesses.

Witnesses:

Semmm im BUCKS S. B. HABE, 

